Agricultural crop application system

ABSTRACT

A product applicator system for dispensing various products onto a ground surface is provided. The system provides an assembly of a protective tube and applicator that protects the product as it travels from the boom to the ground surface. The assembly may include a swivel connection facilitating a rotational movement of the hose assembly to the supporting boom. The protective tube assembly is designed with bending properties that enable the applicator to self-center itself during use.

PRIORITY

This application is a continuation application of U.S. application Ser.No. 17/109,385, filed on Dec. 2, 2020 which is a continuation of U.S.application Ser. No. 15/898,652, filed on Feb. 18, 2018 which is acontinuation application of U.S. application Ser. No. 15/348,672, filedon Nov. 10, 2016, which is a continuation application of U.S.application Ser. No. 14/931,842, filed on Nov. 3, 2015, which claimspriority to and the benefit of U.S. provisional application No.62/074,217, filed 3 Nov. 2014; with each of the above-identifiedapplications and disclosures being fully incorporated herein byreference.

BACKGROUND

The present invention relates to agricultural product application systemand, more particularly, a movable agricultural product applicator systemfor dispensing various agricultural-related products along the groundsurface of agricultural crops.

Current agricultural applicators are inefficient because the weight andrigidity of their applicator and delivery apparatus as well as thesecomponents' connection with their supporting boom causes at least thefollowing problems: crop damage during use, damage to the applicator asit traverses varied terrain, attachment to and removal of the boom tothe applicator and/or delivery apparatus is time-consuming, poorplacement of the applicator relative to the boom and the crops, and theimposition of limits on the width of the boom.

As can be seen, there is a need for a movable agricultural productapplicator system for dispensing various agricultural-related productsalong the ground surface of agricultural crops so as to overcome theabove-mentioned problems.

SUMMARY

In one aspect of the present invention, a system for dispersing productalong a ground surface of a field of crops using a mobile supportingboom spanning portions of the field of crops includes a hose assemblyextending from a proximal end to a distal end; a swivel connectionrotatably connecting the proximal end to the supporting boom, whereinthe swivel connection is movable from a retracted position to anextended position; and an applicator connected to the distal end,whereby the applicator drags along the ground surface.

In another aspect of the present invention, system for dispersingproduct along a ground surface of a field of crops using a mobilesupporting boom spanning portions of the field of crops having a hoseassembly extending from a proximal end to a distal end, wherein the hoseassembly includes a plurality of tubular components, wherein at leastone of the plurality of tubular components extends along a longitudinalaxis, and wherein the at least one of the plurality of tubularcomponents is adapted to bend about the longitudinal axis in anydirection; a swivel connection rotatably connecting the proximal end tothe supporting boom, wherein the swivel connection is movable from aretracted position to an extended position, and wherein the swivelconnection includes a boom extension plate interconnecting the hoseassembly and the supporting boom, wherein the boom extension plate formsa bearing hole; a tube bracket joined to a plate post, wherein the tubebracket attaches to the proximal end, wherein the plate post extendsthrough the bearing hole so that a protruding portion of the plate postis provided; and a spring disposed on the protruding portion so as tobias the swivel connection in the retracted position; a hang hookconnected to the tube bracket; an applicator connected to the distalend; and a mounting assembly for removably securing the swivelconnection to the supporting boom, wherein the swivel connection isrotatable so that a portion of the applicator can be supported by thehang hook of an adjacent tube bracket.

These and other features, aspects and advantages of the presentinvention will become better understood with reference to the followingdrawings, description and claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of the presentinvention, shown in an exemplary configuration in use;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIG. 3 is a detailed perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of thepresent invention;

FIG. 4 is a detailed exploded view of an exemplary embodiment of thepresent invention;

FIG. 5 is a detailed perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of thepresent invention, demonstrating rotation to a rotated configuration;

FIG. 6 is a detailed perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of thepresent invention, demonstrating an extended configuration;

FIG. 7 is a section detail view of an exemplary embodiment of thepresent invention, taken along line 7-7 of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a section detail view of an exemplary embodiment of thepresent invention, taken along line 8-8 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 9 is a perspective detail view of an exemplary embodiment of thepresent invention;

FIG. 10 is a section detail view of an exemplary embodiment of thepresent invention, taken along line 10-10 of FIG. 9;

FIG. 11 is a perspective detail view of an exemplary embodiment of thepresent invention;

FIG. 12 is a perspective detail view of an exemplary embodiment of thepresent invention;

FIG. 13 is a section detail view of an exemplary embodiment of thepresent invention, taken along line 13-13 of FIG. 11;

FIG. 14 is a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of the presentinvention, shown in use;

FIG. 15 is a section detail view of an exemplary embodiment of thepresent invention, taken along line 15-15 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 16 is a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of the presentinvention, shown in use;

FIG. 17 is a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of the presentinvention, shown in an exemplary rotated configuration in use; and

FIG. 18 is a perspective detail view of an exemplary embodiment of thepresent invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The following detailed description is of the best currently contemplatedmodes of carrying out exemplary embodiments of the invention. Thedescription is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merelyfor the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention,since the scope of the invention is best defined by the appended claims.

Broadly, an embodiment of the present invention provides a movableagricultural product applicator system for dispensing variousagricultural-related products along the ground surface of agriculturalcrops. The application system provides a hose assembly interconnecting asupporting boom and an applicator, wherein the applicator drags alongthe ground surface dispensing product as the supporting boom spansacross the crop field as it is moved by a carrier. The applicationsystem may include a swivel connection facilitating a rotational andpivotal connection of the hose assembly to the supporting boom, whereina mounting assembly removably mounts the application system to thesupporting boom. The hose assembly is designed with bending propertiesthat enable the applicator to self-center and locate rows between cropsas it is being dragged along the ground surface, as well as enable theapplicator to surf above obstacles.

Referring to FIGS. 1 through 18, the present invention may include anagricultural product application system 100 for dispensing variousagricultural-related products 74 along the ground surface 76 ofagricultural crops 72. The product 74 may be fluids, gases, orsolid/particulate, such as water, insecticide, herbicide or fertilizer.The application system 100 may include a hose assembly 80interconnecting a supporting boom 18 and an applicator 90, wherein theapplicator 90 drags along the ground surface 76 dispensing the product74 as the supporting boom 18 is moved by a carrier. The applicationsystem 100 may include a swivel connection 10 enabling a rotational andpivotal connection of the hose assembly 80 to the supporting boom 18,wherein a mounting assembly 78 removably mounts the application system100 to the supporting boom 18. The hose assembly 80 is designed withbending properties that enable the applicator 90 to self-center andlocate rows between crops 72 as it is being dragged along the groundsurface, as well as enable the applicator to surf above obstacles.

The mounting assembly 78 may interconnect the hose assembly 80 and theapplicator 90 to the supporting boom 18. The mounting assembly 78 mayenable an extendable connection between the hose assembly 80 and thesupporting boom 18. The mounting assembly 78 may include a boomextension 21, a first fastener 12—such as a u-clip bolt, for removablysecuring the boom extension 21 the supporting boom 18—second fasteners14 and a boom extension 21 to secure the first fastener 12 to the boomextension 21, as illustrated in FIG. 4. The mounting assembly 78 mayfacilitate a quick release attachment and detachment of the boomextension 21 to the supporting boom 18 for ready transportation andstorage of the application system 100 or portions thereof.

An extendable connector 22 may telescopically slide into a cavity of theboom extension 21 so that the extendable connector 22 moves from aretracted position to an extended position, wherein the extendedposition may be secured by a retainer clip 20, as illustrated in FIG. 4.

The swivel connection 10 may interconnect the mounting assembly78/extendable connector 22 and the hose assembly 80 so that the lattercan rotate 360 degrees relative to a longitudinal axis of the former,whereby the hose assembly 80 is movable to a rotated configuration asillustrated in FIGS. 5 and 17. In certain embodiments, the swivelconnection 10 may include a boom extension plate 32 and an opposing tubeplate 36, wherein the tube plate 36 provide a plate post 26perpendicularly and centrally joined thereto so that the plate post 26extends to rotatably engage and journal through a centrally disposedbearing hole of the boom extension plate 32, as illustrated in FIGS. 3and 4. The portion of the plate post 26 that protrudes through thebearing hole of the boom extension plate 32 may be threaded so that athreaded fastener 28 may be secured thereto. A spring 30 may be disposedalong the protruding portion of the plate post 26 so as to be sandwichedbetween the threaded fastener 28 and the extension plate 32, therebyspring biasing the hose assembly 80 in a contracted configuration, asillustrated in FIGS. 3 and 5, yet movable to an extended configuration,as illustrated in FIG. 6. Such spring biasing allows the hose assembly80 to pivot or flex temporarily to the extended configuration, such aswhen colliding with crops 72 or a terrain 76 of a higher elevation, soas to be urged back to the biased contracted configuration when nolonger loaded by the force of such resistance, avoiding damage to thehose assembly 80, attached applicator 90, and/or crops 72 in suchsituations. Accordingly, the hose assembly 80 may both rotate about thelongitudinal axis of the extension connector 22 as well as flex/pivotalong the same longitudinal axis.

The tube plate 36 may be joined to a tube bracket 24 dimensioned andadapted to slidably receive and secure to the hose assembly 80 or aportion thereof, such as an upper rigid tube 38. A hang hook 70 may beconnected to the tube plate by the same means for securing the rigidtube 38, for example by a lock fastener 34 and nut 62. The hang hook 70may be disposed so as to support a portion of the hose assembly 80 whenin the rotated configuration, as illustrated in FIG. 18.

The hose assembly 80 may include a plurality of modular tubularcomponents 82 removably attachable to each other in variousconfigurations by a plurality of clamps 44 so that the plurality ofmodular tubular components 82 slidably receive a plurality of productdelivery hoses 40, protecting said delivery hoses 40 as they fluidlyinterconnect a product source and the applicator 90. The productdelivery hoses 40, the hose assembly 80, the applicator 90, andcomponents thereof are made of lightweight, durable and resilientmaterial. In certain embodiments, the plurality of interchangeablemodular tubular components 82 may include the upper rigid tube 38, anupper flex hose 42, a middle rigid tube 46, a middle flex hose 48 and alower rigid tube 50 sequentially interconnected by the plurality ofclamps 44. The flex hoses 42, 48 are adapted to be bend about theirlongitudinal axis in any direction so that when portions of the hoseassembly 80 encounters resistance—be it the crops 72 or obstacles liketerrain 76 of a higher elevation—at least one flex hose 42, 48 bends sothat the applicator 90 lifts up against said resistance, as illustratedin FIG. 16. Such bending and lifting or “surfing” prevents crop damageand damage to the applicator 90 hitting obstacles. This bending propertyor flexibility also facilitates the applicator 90 to “find” the rowsbetween the crops 72 as the applicator 90 moves along the path of leastresistance—as compared to the more resistive crops 72 themselves.Likewise, this bending property or flexibility enables the hose assembly80 and the attached applicator 90 to be “self-centering” as theapplicator 90 drags along the terrain 76, much like dragging a broom isself-centering, because the path of least resistance is a path generallyaligned and in tow with the hose assembly 80.

The applicator 90 may be attached to the distal end of the hose assembly80 by a reinforcement plate 52. The reinforcing plate 52 may form tworigid tubes 68 wherein the two rigid tubes are divergently oriented. Thereinforcement plate 52 may be dimensioned and adapted to support theplurality of product delivery hoses 40 and/or lower rigid tube 50. Theplurality of product delivery hoses may transition from the lower rigidtube 50 to the applicator 90, wherein at least one product delivery hose40 continues through each rigid tube 68 and where two product deliveryhoses 40 terminate at opposing nozzles 66 between the rigid tubes 68 andthe lower rigid tube 50, as illustrated in FIGS. 11-13. A nozzleaccessory bracket 54 may be connected to the reinforcement plate 52 by abracket fastener 56 and nut 64 so as to support the opposing nozzles 66.Each distal end of the two rigid tubes 68 may connect to angle-cut tubes58, wherein each continuing product delivery hose 40 terminates therein,as illustrated in FIG. 15. The distal end of each angle-cut tube 58 maybe dimensioned and adapted to provide a directional tip for deliveringthe product 74.

A method of using the present invention may include the following. Theapplication system 100 disclosed above may be provided. A user may mountthe application system 100 to the boom 18 using the mounting assembly78, wherein the boom 18 is connected to heavy duty carrier (not shown),such as a tractor. Then the user may connect the plurality of productdelivery hoses 40 protruding through the upper rigid tube 38 to theproduct source, possibly also located on the heavy duty carrier. Thenthe user may adjust the length of the hose assembly 80 by selectivelyinterconnecting specific plurality of modular tubular components 82 sothat the applicator 90 drags along the terrain 76 when in use. Incertain embodiments, the applicator 90 may drag along at anapproximately 60 degree angle to the terrain 76, as illustrated in FIG.14. Then the user may move the heavy duty carrier adjacent to theagricultural crops 72 and use the application system 100 to drag theapplicators 90 through the crop rows so as to dispense the product 74along the ground surface 76 of the crops 72, as illustrated in FIG. 14.

It should be understood, of course, that the foregoing relates toexemplary embodiments of the invention and that modifications may bemade without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as setforth in the following claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A lower applicator assembly, of an agriculturalproduct application system having at least one upper product deliverytube with a long axis configured to hang from a boom, for dispersing aproduct on a ground surface, the lower applicator assembly comprising:at least one lower product delivery tube assembly to receive and directproduct from the upper product delivery tube to the ground surface,wherein the at least one lower product delivery tube assembly forms anangle greater than 90 degrees with the long axis of the upper productdelivery tube.
 2. The lower applicator assembly of claim 1, wherein theat least one lower product delivery tube assembly comprises at least onegenerally rigid tube segment in operative communication with a portionof upper product delivery tube and at least one generally flexible tubesegment in operative communication with the at least one generally rigidtube segment.
 3. The lower applicator assembly of claim 1, furthercomprising at least one attachment member being attached to andextending between the upper product delivery tube and the at least onelower product delivery tube assembly.
 4. The lower applicator assemblyof claim 1, wherein the at least one lower product delivery tubeassembly comprises at least two generally rigid tube segments, each inoperative communication with the upper product delivery tube, whereineach of the at least two generally rigid tube segments diverge outwardlyaway from each other.
 5. The lower applicator assembly of claim 4,further comprising at least one generally flexible tube segment being inoperative communication with each of the at least two generally rigidtube segments.
 6. The lower applicator assembly of claim 2, wherein theat least one generally rigid tube segment includes at least one curvedportion along its length.
 7. The lower applicator assembly of claim 1,wherein the at least one lower product delivery tube assembly isconfigured to drag along behind the boom and to form an angle with aplane of the ground surface.
 8. The lower applicator assembly of claim1, wherein the angle formed between the at least one upper productdelivery tube and the at least one lower product delivery tube assemblyorients the lower applicator assembly behind the boom.
 9. The lowerapplicator assembly of claim 7, wherein the angle formed between the atleast one upper product delivery tube and the at least one lower productdelivery tube assembly orients the lower applicator assembly behind theboom.
 10. A lower applicator assembly of an agricultural productapplication system coupled to a boom and having at least one hangingupper product delivery tube coupled to a product holding tank, thesystem being configured for dispersing the product on a ground surface,the lower applicator assembly comprising: at least a pair of divergentlyextending product delivery tubes in operative communication with the atleast one hanging upper product delivery tube, each of the divergentlyextending product delivery tubes having at least one curve portion,wherein product traveling through the agricultural product applicationsystem travels through the at least one hanging upper product deliverytube and through the at least a pair of divergently extending productdelivery tubes to be placed on the ground surface.
 11. The lowerapplicator of claim 10, wherein a portion of the upper at least oneproduct delivery tube has a bend to orient the lower applicator assemblybehind the boom.
 12. The lower applicator of claim 10, wherein the atleast one hanging upper product delivery tube extends angularly behindthe boom.
 13. The lower applicator of claim 10, wherein the lowerapplicator assembly and the at least one hanging upper product deliverytube extend angularly behind the boom.
 14. The lower applicator of claim10, wherein each of the divergently extending product delivery tubescomprises at least one generally rigid tube segment and at least onegenerally flexible tube segment in operative communication.
 15. Thelower applicator of claim 14, wherein each of the at least one generallyrigid tube segments has an S-shaped curve formed in a portion thereof.16. The lower applicator of claim 14, wherein an end portion of each ofthe at least one generally rigid tube segments extends in a directiongenerally away from a long axis of the agricultural product applicationsystem.
 17. The lower applicator assembly of claim 10, wherein an angleformed between the at least one lower product delivery tube assembly andthe at least one hanging upper product delivery tube is greater than 90degrees.
 18. The lower applicator assembly of claim 17, wherein theangle formed between the at least one hanging upper product deliverytube and the at least one lower product delivery tube assembly orientsthe lower applicator assembly behind the boom.
 19. The lower applicatorassembly of claim 17, wherein the angle formed between the at least oneupper product delivery tube and the at least one lower product deliverytube assembly orients the lower applicator assembly behind the boom. 20.The lower applicator assembly of claim 17, wherein the at least onelower product delivery tube assembly is configured to drag along behindthe boom and to form an angle with a plane of the ground surface.